Uncontrollable
by Magykal777
Summary: "I could hurt you, you know" she said "I'm willing to take that chance" Lyra Maywell was born with excess magic that was hard to control, and she had a risk of an explosion. When a boy who views her as a magical creature rather than a dangerous person comes along, things change. He was always there and able to calm her down, until the one time he wasn't. Newt Scamander x oc
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Lyra Diana Maywell was always a rather curious child. Her mother, Kathleen Maywell, was a Herbologist, which gave her lots of opportunity to explore different plants, while her father, Patrick Maywell, worked in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and he always had books lying about the house that she could read.

Her parents were both muggle-born, her father being a second-generation wizard and her mother being a first-generation witch. Despite these "drawbacks," they were both very bright (this explained their Sorting into Ravenclaw), which they had passed on to their daughter. They were also able to become registered Animagi, being only two out of the six that were registered that year (Patrick was a cat while Kathleen was a beetle.)

Lyra showed her first signs of magic at age seven, like most magical children, although her scenario was different from others. She had always tried to avoid the local Muggle children since they were prone to making fun of people who were different. This was possibly due to the lack of entertainment, as there weren't many children who lived in the neighborhood; the small village was mainly a Muggle retirement community due to the laid-back atmosphere of the country town. However, interaction with the Muggle children couldn't always be avoided, and one time she was caught on the unaware.

They had formed a circle around her, taunting her because her family was 'weird.' She always hated it when people or things had an unfair advantage, so she tried to stand up for herself and escape their circle. The fact that she couldn't escape wasn't because there were many children, but because their size was nearly twice hers. The panic that had begun building up in her chest suddenly released. At first, the young girl thought she was no longer scared, but she soon learned that conclusion was very wrong. A tingling (like when a limb falls asleep) started to spread throughout her body, coursing through her blood. The feeling turned into a burning sensation, like walking into a fire, until she couldn't control it anymore. A sudden force of magic seemed to explode out of her, knocking everyone to the ground.

Lyra didn't waste any time running home, where she found her father in his study.

After explaining to him what had happened, the young girl and her father returned to the spot where the incident occurred. There, where she had been standing, stood a medium-sized indent in the otherwise normal looking earth. The older man moved closer to the spot and bent down, looking at it closely, as it appeared to be a regular hole in the dirt. He cautiously glanced around to make sure they were alone before he pulled out his wand and murmured " _revelio._ " A golden mist appeared over the spot, almost solid in the center where it fanned out into a thin gold cloud in a sun-like pattern.

While she had seen magic before, of course, from her parents casting it at home, Lyra was still surprised at what the spell produced. "What did you do, papa?" she asked.

Without turning his attention from the ground he answered, "it's a revealing spell. You can use it to find traces of magic in otherwise normal things."

Satisfied with the answer, the daughter stayed quiet until her father stood up. He pocketed his wand and without another word the two returned to their house hand in hand, Lyra only looking back once to see the golden mist disappear into the early-evening light.

* * *

In the following days, Lyra caught snatches of conversation between her parents. While they didn't seem to be outwardly worried, their lowered voices were clearly an indication that something was wrong. A few of the phrases she heard were "what if the Muggles find out?" "this could be dangerous" "will it happen again?" and, almost most worryingly, "maybe we should see a Healer."

One morning, the young girl woke to the smell of pancakes cooking on the stove. At first, she was enthralled, thinking it was some sort of holiday (as it was their tradition), but realized that it was the middle of summer, and the most exciting thing that happened was her mother's birthday, which was in a few weeks. Now concerned, the girl quickly got dressed and made her appearance in the kitchen.

"What's going on, mum?" she asked.

Her mother gave her a small smile, but it was one that didn't quite reach her eyes, "we're thinking of doing a special treat and going to London to see Diagon Alley. Would you like that?"

"That's not all we're doing, is it, Kathy?" her father prompted, coming into the kitchen as well.

The older woman sighed, transferring the last few pancakes from the stove to the plate, "we have to go to St. Mungo's. Your father and I are worried about what happened the other day; losing control like that is an unusual way for a magical child to display their powers like that."

While Lyra wasn't too thrilled about the hospital visit, at least they would be going to Diagon Alley after, and her parents promised that she could get a new book from Flourish and Blotts. An hour later, they were gathered by the fireplace with her mother holding the bag of Floo Powder. Because she was young and had never travelled this way before, she would be sharing her father's trip in the flames. It was a little daunting to have them swirl around her despite the brevity of the journey, but they all reached the hospital without any mishaps.

After using the elevator's directory to find the right floor, they were seen in the wing for people with questions about health. The Healer was a female with short brown hair and wore the traditional white uniform of the workers at the hospital. After introducing herself as Sarah, she told Lyra to sit on the table while her parents explained what happened.

The Healer gave the young girl a curious look, frowning slightly as she listened. When they were done explaining, she said, "It seems that your daughter has a case of _Magie tak terkendali_ , or Uncontrollable Magic. Are either of you Purebloods?" she asked.

Lyra's parents shook their heads.

"This usually- and 'usually' is used as a relative term, of course- happens when two Purebloods have a child. There is, of course, a possibility for a Squib, but the other extreme is someone who is given _too_ much magic, although the result is nearly the same: while a _Magie_ child can still produce spells, the difficulty increases by double the usual. When a person with this case gets too excited, nervous, scared etc., their extreme emotions will cause a burst of magic, usually in a radiating pattern like you described, Mr. Maywell.

"While not much is known about this condition, there are a few tips I can give you on how to help your daughter, although she might want to step out for a bit so you can explain it better to her later," Sarah finished.

"Go on, Ly," her father said, "you can come back in a bit."

The seven-year-old nodded and left to sit outside, leaving her mother and father in the room. She lost track time, and in what seemed like no time at all, her parents were leaving the room, thanking the Healer, and using the Floo network to head over to Diagon Alley.

Later on, her parents explained to her the precautions they would be taking to make sure she didn't have explosions, as they could vary in size and be potentially harmful to other people. She would stay within the confines of their property and they would be careful not to spook her. Her father told her that when it was time for her to go to Hogwarts, he would speak to Professor Dippet, the Headmaster, about what they could do to help her, because they, especially, didn't want to deny her the excitement of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

For the next few years, Lyra did what her parents told her to, spending her time reading the books that they got her and secluded herself from the Muggles in the village (not that she had any particular protests about that). Although she wanted to explore like always, she was able to be content with her books and the premises of her house. After all, the plants her mother had provided enough adventure for a child of her age. This caused her to become rather shy and quiet, since the only people she talked to were her parents.

When she was a few months away from going to school, her parents took her to Diagon Alley, making sure she didn't get lost, and that she didn't get too excited. The trip didn't last long, since her mum and dad had gotten everything except her wand beforehand (and she'd already read all of the books that were required for a first year.)

She had a hard time finding a wand that would choose her, and the shopkeeper, Ollivander, said that her excess magic was the reason (Lyra found him a bit scary, as she hadn't even told him about her condition.) Eventually, she was chosen by a wand that had Chestnut wood and Unicorn hair core (10 1/2 inches, hard flexibility)

A/N: Hello everyone *laughs awkwardly.* How long has it been? Three years or something? Oops. Well, the Crimes of Grindelwald (as plot-holey as it is) inspired me to come back to this story… I don't know why it has as many follows/favorites as it does, because the first draft is super cringy and needs a lot of work. Thank you, anyway, to those of you who have. While I can't promise updates will be a regular occurrence, I do plan on adding to the story more frequently then every four years… lol. I'm going to start by rewriting the chapters I already have written and then go more in-depth with their school years now that we know slightly more about them. I will, however, be sticking to cannon and not whatever mess CoG is. Anyway, I'm glad to be back!

Wand description taken from my own Pottermore account. Chestnut wood is said to favor those inclined to Herbology and magical creatures, while hard flexibility is based on the person's willingness to change.

Also, I decided to add a face claim for Lyra: Sophie Nélisse as Leisel Meminger.


	2. Chapter 2: The Train and the Sorting

Year 1, Part 1: The Train and The Sorting

Lyra woke up early on September 1st. She was usually an early riser, but today she was going to Hogwarts. Just like he'd promised, her father had talked to Headmaster Dippet about her situation, and he'd been willing to give her a separate room in whatever House she was in, so there was less of a chance that she'd cause an explosion. She'd packed everything last night, with a separate bag for the train that had her Hogwarts robes and a few books.

Her parents were late getting up, and she was impatiently waiting by the door, having already finished her breakfast.

"Let's go, Patrick!" her mother called, surprised that Lyra hadn't woken them up.

"We're going to be late, mum!" Lyra said

"Why didn't you wake us up? We'd be on time if you'd had."

Lyra shrugged. "I thought you _were_ up and just taking a while to come down."

"Nevermind that now," she said "Patrick, I really mean it!"

"Coming, coming." he said, pulling his work robes on "ready to go?"

Lyra nodded, and they piled into their car.

The eleven-year-old had been right- they _were_ pretty much late. They had arrived at the platform at 10:55, and her parents barely had time to say goodbye and other things parents say to their children before she jumped onto the train. She walked through the train's aisle looking for an empty compartment. Lyra didn't really want to join other students since she wasn't sure how she would react to the new situation. To her dismay, however, all of the carriages were full, and she was unable to get one by herself probably as a result of her being late. She went to the very end of the train, where she hadn't looked yet, and to her relief, there was only one boy reading a book. Figuring that they wouldn't be talking much, she tentatively pulled open the door. The boy, who had curly light brown hair, looked up from the book surprised.

"Hi" she said rather nervously.

"Hi" he replied.

"Um... d'you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." Well, that wasn't _strictly_ true, but she didn't even want to be in a compartment with two people.

"No, it's fine." he gestured to the seat across from him.

She sat down gingerly, studying him slightly. The boy's curly hair was rather short, except for a part of it that fell into his eyes, which were a light shade of blue. He had a rather thin face and he was hunched over his book as if the interaction was making him uncomfortable.

"I'm, um, Lyra, by the way. Lyra Maywell."

He glanced up from his book again "Newton Scamander."

They sat in silence for a bit as the train pulled away from the city and chugged its way through the country. When the Trolley Witch came by, he put his book down to order something off the trolley. When the boy got up, he'd closed the cover of the book, which allowed her to see the title.

Glancing at it, her eyes widened in recognition. "Hey- you like magical creatures too?" she asked

Looking a bit sheepish, he nodded, sitting back down with his food.

"I've read that book- my favorite animals are the Bowtruckle and Billywig."

They began a rather lively discussion on magical creatures and plants, both of which were their favorite subjects. Lyra found Newt, as she tended to call him, very well-informed and a rather good debater. Newt, on the other hand, found her to be very engaging despite her natural shy behavior. He found her to be like a magical creature herself, in that she was timid until she knew she could trust him. He noticed that when she got particularly excited about something, the air seemed to crackle with energy, and her eyes would spark. Needless to say, she was quite intriguing to watch.

With a few hours left before getting to Hogwarts, a darkening sky could be seen through the train's steamed-up window. It was around this time that a third person joined their compartment.

She swept into the small car with a bang, leaning against the now-closed door of the compartment with her eyes closed, taking deep, steadying breaths. Lyra immediately broke off what she was saying about Bowtruckles and stiffened instinctually. She didn't particularly like new people, although Newt had been the exception with their shared love for the out-of-doors. The girl who'd entered the compartment was basically the complete opposite of her. She had long, curly dark hair, dark skin, and aristocratic features. When she opened her eyes, Lyra saw that they were dark brown.

The girl's eyes widened when she saw the boy and girl already in the compartment. "I'm sorry- I didn't know anyone was here. I'll just... leave." she turned to open the door when Newt spoke. His attention had shifted rather quickly from the girl he was just talking to to the new one who'd interrupted.

"No, it's alright. You can stay."

She turned around, surprised. "Are you sure? Don't you know who I am?"

The boy paused for a moment before shaking his head. Despite being part of the Wizarding world since birth, he definitely didn't take the time to memorize family trees of Purebloods, as he assumed this girl was. That was more of his brother's thing.

"Well, I'm a Lestrange. Leta Lestrange."

Both of the previous occupants of the compartment recognized that name, as Lyra's and Newt's fathers worked in the Ministry (although in different departments). Newt, deciding that names didn't matter, and _what harm could this girl do anyways_ said, "I'm Newton Scamander."

Not wanting to seem stuck up, Lyra added quietly "Lyra Maywell."

They eventually pulled into the Hogsmeade station. The trio had pulled on their robes a little while ago, before sitting back down to talk. Although Newt and Leta seemed like complete opposites, Leta had always felt like an outsider in social engagements because many people assumed her personality based on her name alone.

Lyra could feel the friendship she'd started to have with Newt slipping through her fingers as he talked to someone much more _interesting_ and _exotic_. Compared to Leta, Lyra didn't think she stood a chance if Newt was ever forced to choose between them. She had always wished desperately for a friend but had never had one since they'd probably get hurt in her presence. Figuring it was probably for the better that she didn't get close to anyone, Lyra was quiet for the rest of the ride.

* * *

When they got to Hogwarts, they surprisingly found a boat together, along with another 1st year. They entered the Entrance Hall with its cavernous ceilings. There was a Wizard who greeted them called Professor Dumbledore. Lyra liked him immediately because he seemed friendly yet had an authoritative air about him. He explained how the Houses worked and the points system. Then he left them for a bit to get the Sorting ready. In the meantime, students straightened themselves up; Lyra had already made sure that her robes were neat so she wouldn't make a bad first impression, so she looked around the Hall, staring in awe at the seemingly impossible height of the ceiling.

Professor Dumbledore came back, saying that they were ready for them now. When they entered the Great Hall, Lyra looked around, noticing the enchanted ceiling. She could hear someone in the back say "it's not the _real_ sky, you know. It's just enchanted to look like it. I read it in _Hogwarts: A History_." The teacher's table was on a raised platform at the front, while the students sat at four long tables in the main area of the hall. Lyra could see large, empty serving platters awaiting food resting on them, and floating candles illuminated the place.

Professor Dumbledore stopped them at the front of the Great Hall. There was a ragged hat sitting on a stool, and behind it the teacher's table.

"Now, when I call you name, please come forward and sit on the stool. I will place the Hat on your head and you will be Sorted into your new House."

Lyra had already known how the Sorting worked from her parents, so she zoned out, admiring the enchanted ceiling. By the time she was paying attention again, "Lestrange, Leta" was being called.

The dark-haired girl strode confidently to the stool. The Hat was barely on her head before it called "SLYTHERIN!"

She jumped up and walked to the designated table for her House.

A few more names were called before "Maywell, Lyra"

Lyra walked up to the stool, excited to know where she belonged. She was even only a little startled when the Hat spoke in her ear.

 _"Ah, what do we have here? A Maywell? I remember Sorting your parents, both were very easy. It seems you're a bit more difficult. While I can easily see that you are brave, I don't think Gryffindor is the right fit for you. I can also see your thirst for knowledge, but Honest work and loyalty are very important to you as well. You would do well in Ravenclaw, but I think that if we take all of your attributes into consideration, the right house for you would be_ HUFFLEPUFF!"

Pleased with where the Hat had put her, she took it off and went straight for the table. Newt joined her a few names later, and she was pleased that they were in the same House.

The feast lived up to the expectations her parents had provided her with, and she met up with Headmaster Dippet to sort out her room. He had decided to enlarge a broom cupboard and transfigure a few things to make a desk, chair, wardrobe and bed. He told her the password to the Hufflepuff common room, since she was still part of the House and could go there, just not sleep in the same dormitory for fear of an explosion.

Lyra fell asleep that night both terribly excited, but anxious as well. She was looking forward to classes but knew that she'd have to separate herself from Newt and everyone else, because once she hurt someone, she'd be expelled, and she'd only _just_ got there; she didn't want to leave yet.


	3. Chapter 3: Faith and Trust

Chapter 3, Year 1, Part 2: Faith and Trust

As time passed at Hogwarts, Lyra dove into her classes with vigor, since she didn't have anything else to take up her time. She'd successfully avoided Newt and the rest of her House, often staying in the Library or going outside when the weather was warmer.

Newt had tried to speak to her again during their first weeks at school, but Lyra had ignored him, and he'd eventually stopped. After all, he did have Leta. Lyra could tell the two were very close, both sharing a love of magical creatures and the fact that they were outsiders (even though Leta had been Sorted into the "proper" House for her family, she'd still had differing views from them)

It was almost the end of First Year when Lyra and Newt spoke again. Since it was late spring, she went outside to do her homework and study under a weeping Willow that was near the Lake. It was removed from the rest of the Hogwart's population, which was good because there was less chance of someone causing her to lose control. The branches of the tree also hid her from everyone else and allowed her to imagine that she was in a forest, which helped Lyra to feel more at home, since it reminded her of her mother's garden. It was ironic, really, that the animals would think she was calm when she was really boiling over with emotions from her day at school, although whether they would be good or bad ones it would depend on the type of day she'd had. She'd had a harder day than usual because finals were looming around the corner. After hearing the older students talking about them in the halls, Lyra had become increasingly anxious for the upcoming tests.

When Newt tracked her down, she'd been so focused on getting outside, so she hadn't been as careful hiding her escape route. He easily followed her flight from the Castle to the tree, since the ground was slightly wetter because of the previous day's rain and her footprints left marks on the mud.

She ducked between the branches and let out sigh of relief. At least she hadn't lost control today, as it was always a looming threat. She'd just sat down when she heard a boy's voice speak behind her "so _this_ is where you come every day."

She jumped up and whirled around to see Newt standing behind her, the boy having a curious expression on his face. "What are you doing here?" she yelped, her fear of causing an explosion increasing because of her already boiling emotions.

"I wanted to see where you went everyday, since you were so intent on ignoring me. I hadn't been successful until today, obviously."

"Why did you want to find out where I went?" she asked, confused

"Well, we are in the same House, and I thought that we'd gotten on rather well on the train." Although Newt was considered shy by most people, he was also very determined, and he'd wanted to become friends with the blonde-haired girl almost as soon as they'd met, especially since she had been so friendly despite his reluctance to interact with new people.

"Well I don't think so. You and Leta get along much better than we ever would." she said, turning away from him

"I think we'd be good friends. After all, we both like magical creatures." he argued stubbornly

"Can't you see that just because we have similar interests doesn't mean we're automatic friends!?" she cried, wishing she _c_ ould _just tell him_ _instead of having to push him away_ _._ Because her emotions were already high, this last statement caused the tingling feeling she'd been having all day to run through her entire body and a force hard enough to push the boy down exploded from her.

Eyes wide, she scrambled away from him, apologizing profusely. She pressed herself against the tree as a form of support, all but begging him to leave. He scrambled up, looking shocked. "What _was_ that?" he exclaimed, ignoring her apologies. He wasn't really hurt anyway, just surprised.

"You need to go." she said, giving him a final desperate attempt to leave.

"Not when that just happened!" he exclaimed "I've never experienced that before; does it happen often?"

She shrugged, unwilling to really go into detail. After all, he could tell the whole school now and she'd probably be expelled because the parents would see her as a danger to their children.

"C'mon, you can tell me," he said, prodding her.

Taking a deep breath and realizing he wouldn't leave her alone, she said, "okay. But you have to promise not to tell _anybody_. Not even Leta."

"I promise" he said immediately.

"I have a problem called _Magie Tak Terkendali_. It means that I was born with excess magic, and it's harder for me to control it. When my emotions get to high, I'll send something like a shockwave out due to the buildup of magic. That's why I can't really be around anyone."

"Wow. That must be hard, not knowing when you might lose control."

She nodded. "I'm always afraid someone might push too many buttons and then I'll have an explosion. No parent would want me to be at Hogwarts anymore because I'm dangerous."

"I don't think you're dangerous." he said

"I'm not sure you understand. I could hurt you, you know." she said

"I'm willing to take that chance. You can trust me, I promise."

She looked at him, desperately wishing she could, "I've never had a real friend before. I didn't think anyone would want to be after they learned that I could hurt them."

"Well, I'll just have to be the first, won't I?" he asked, already comfortable enough around her to joke around.

"Really?" she asked

"Yep. At least until you're expelled, anyway." he said cheekily

She shoved him slightly. "I bet you'll be expelled first."

"Really? What gives you that idea?"

"You'd obviously rather be with magical creatures than studying."

"Are you suggesting that I'm going to fail?" he asked

"Maybe" she said, grinning.

And that was how Lyra had found Newt as her first best friend. By the time First Year ended, they were very close. He even remembered her when Leta was around, refuting her previous worry that she wasn't interesting enough. Although the two girls didn't really get along since the only thing they had in common was their love for magical creatures, they tried to for the sake of their friendship with Newt.


	4. Chapter 4: Trains and Lessons

Chapter 4, Year 2, Part 1: Trains and lessons

Lyra's summer had been rather uneventful, especially compared to her school year. She'd sent a few owls to Newt, although her parents didn't want her to risk a visit with him, just in case. She'd done very well on her end-of-year exams, true to her parent's Ravenclaw heritage. They'd been very receptive to her Sorting, for which she was grateful. She was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts and seeing Newt again.

Her parents had gone to Diagon Alley without her, since they still thought it would be too dangerous for her to go. September 1st came rather quickly after that, and they arrived on the platform on time this year.

"Make sure you stay focused on your studies, Lyra, and keep track of your emotions. I meant to remind you last year, but we were already late." here, her mother gave her father a pointed look

"Also make sure you have fun, Ly." her father said "school's not _just_ about work, you know."

With final hugs and goodbyes, she boarded the train, pulling her trunk behind her. She walked down the corridor looking into the compartments for an empty one or for Newt. _It would be good to see him again_ , she thought, _but what if he's changed his mind_? She desperately hoped he hadn't changed his mind about them being friends. Although he'd written over the summer, he'd had time to think about it, so he might've realized that he didn't want to put himself in danger.

Feeling anxious now, she continued tugging trunk down the hallway. Up ahead, she saw a tall boy, a Seventh Year by the looks of it, with curly blond hair, who appeared to be talking to someone shorter than him. When she got closer, she could hear what they were saying. "Why are you even talking to me? I _told_ you not to acknowledge me in school. D'you think I want to admit that my little brother is a _Hufflepuff_? The house of idiots? No thanks. So do yourself a favor and _leave_."

"But I-"

" _No_. But you nothing. You heard me. Just go play with your animals and leave me alone." The older boy spun around and stalked off, bumping roughly against her and leaving the younger boy in his wake.

"Newt?" she asked tentatively

His head jerked up, surprised. "Lyra- I, um, didn't see you."

"Obviously. Sorry that I startled you. Who was that?"

"Oh- um, he was my brother. Theseus Scamander. He's a Gryffindor, so I haven't really talked about him."

"He was you _brother_?" she asked, shocked. She knew some people were very stuck on their Houses, but she'd never actually _witnessed_ it.

"Yeah. He didn't use to be so bad, always a bit big headed, but he's gotten worse."

"I knew a lot of families had House traditions, but I've never been near one of the arguments. Was he like that the whole summer?"

The boy shook his head. "He was gone for most of the time, since he's a Seventh Year and he wants to become an Auror. My whole family's been in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I'm the first Hufflepuff."

"Oh. Um, d'you- d'you want to find a compartment together?" she thought it might be best to change the subject since his relationship with his brother was clearly uncomfortable to talk about for him.

"Sure, and we can find Leta. I haven't heard from her all summer."

At least he still wanted to talk to her, she thought, even if he and Leta were attached at the hip. They did find the Pureblooded girl, who explained that she hadn't been able to write since her family had gone to Bulgaria to meet up with a friend. They found a compartment and spent the rest of the time catching up, Lyra avoiding the topic of Newt's brother, since she figured he didn't want to tell Leta.

* * *

The classes at the beginning of the year were just review, so Lyra was looking forward to the following week when new material would be introduced (at least in Potions, anyway.)

They did have a new Potions teacher, Professor Banks. Their previous teacher, Professor McCannon, had been quite old, and some of the older students who'd been closer to him were glad to see him retire (for both selfish reasons and unselfish ones.) Their new teacher was a lady who, on first appearance, looked soft and gentle, but when she began talking, her voice was full of authority and it was clear that she wouldn't take any crap from the students. She expected the best and wasn't afraid to scold people in front of the class. Potions was one area that Lyra excelled in because it didn't require a wand, which was harder for her to use because of her uncontrollable magic. Professor Banks' compliments were almost never there, but Lyra new that the woman approved of her work.

There weren't any other new teachers in her other classes, and Lyra continued to have a bit of difficulty with the practical part, although she had no problem with the theories. Her favorite professor was Professor Dumbledore because he was always patient with her, and she'd often work with him after class to try and master the spell that was being taught, for she even struggled with the review.

As a Second Year, she was also eligible to tryout for the House Quidditch team. However, neither she nor Newt had any interest in sports. Leta was the only one of them who did, and even then she just attended the games to support her House. Lyra always stayed far away from the Pitch during the games because despite her lack of enthusiasm for the sport, the excitement of other students _could_ put her at risk of an explosion, and having one at a Quidditch game was the last thing she wanted.

A/N: A bit of a filler chapter, but I don't have much planned for Second Year, and I didn't go into detail about Lyra's school life last year, so I put it in this year. Also, this is just my perception of what I think Newt's brother COULD be like (eventually getting to be a world-renowned Auror and all)


	5. Chapter 5: Books and Cleverness

Chapter 5, Year 2, Part 2: Books and Cleverness

Sometimes Professor Dumbledore wasn't able to help her after class, or other teachers didn't work with her enough on her wand movements, so during these times she often asked Newt to help her rather than do it on her own. Snow had fallen thickly outside and the castle's corridors were frigid, but Lyra and Newt were warm in her broom closet bedroom near the Hufflepuff dorms. She'd eventually showed him her special room last year after telling him about her curse, since he might as well know everything that had to do with it. (He'd also been wondering why he never saw her go up to the girl's dorms.) He quite liked the little room because, as he said, she didn't have to be awoken by snores in the middle of the night. Despite the room not having a fireplace, it was kept warm by the spells Headmaster Dippet put on it.

Currently, they were standing in the middle of the room with the furniture pushed back, and he was teaching her how to cast the Freezing Charm. They'd learned it a few days ago, but it was proving to be difficult for Lyra, since she always lost focus with objects moving about. Newt had already mastered it, since he didn't have the drawbacks of having a curse, and he was good in Charms (as well as Defense Against the Dark Arts.)

After trying her umpteenth time to get the _stupid object to stop moving,_ she collapsed on her bed "I'll _never_ get this! I wish I didn't have this _stupid_ curse, and I just want to be _normal_!"

Newt, who was used to her frustrated outbursts by now, rolled his eyes. "You know you'll get it eventually, Ly. It just takes you a bit longer. And you _are_ normal- it just depends on what your definition of it is."

"It didn't take _you_ very long to get it. And my definition is that I don't have trouble casting spells."

"Well, I like Charms" and then he added hesitantly "and I don't really have trouble with my magic."

"See? You've got nothing to worry about there. It's just so _annoying_ sometimes, being different and not having people understand. They think I'm stupid because I can't even get simple spells."

"But you're brilliant!" he exclaimed "so what if you don't get the spells right away? Only a few people got it in class the other day."

She sat up, shaking her head. "I'm just books and cleverness. There's more important things, like controlling your magic and not being a danger to everyone."

"I don't think you're dangerous. Leta doesn't either- although she doesn't really know, so I don't think that counts."

"Of course it doesn't count. She already doesn't like me for some reason, so if she knew _this,_ then she'd have the perfect material to get me expelled."

Newt's eyes widened "she wouldn't do that, Lyra! She may not like you very much for some reason, but I know she wouldn't try to _expel_ you!"

Lyra let out a disbelieving snort. Not wanting to argue with him, she stood up and said "let's try this thing again. If it doesn't work, maybe there's some book that can help."

"I knew you could think of a to get it right. How about we try two more times and call it a night?"

"Alright. I'll look in the library tomorrow."

"I don't know why you weren't a Ravenclaw." he said "you like books enough for the whole population of Hogwarts."

She grinned, preparing herself for casting the spell. "The Hat _did_ consider Ravenclaw, but he thought if I combined all of my assets, I'd make a good Hufflepuff."

"I'm glad you are one. I don't think I'd've been able to talk to you if we didn't see each other all the time. _Currax._ " The last word lifted the random objects they'd been using into the air and start moving around so she could try again.

Lyra didn't manage to complete the spell that night, although the objects _did_ slow down, which was an improvement. She resolved to find the theory in the library tomorrow.

A/n: this is a bit shorter than usual, but the next several chapters are going to be the thick of the story (years 3-7), so I just wanted to establish some Lyra/Newt relationship. Just as a warning, I like slow-burning romances because I think short ones are a waste of time. This being said, Lyra/Newt is going to probably happen _after_ they've left school.


	6. Chapter 6: Lyra and Her Mother

Chapter 6, Year 3, Part 1: Lyra and Her Mother

Patrick was often busy with his job at the Ministry, which left Kathleen to take care of her daughter. They'd had a relatively close bond, at least for a daughter who'd rather be reading a book and a mother whose plants took up most of her time. Although Lyra had often joined her mother in the garden when she was younger, the child had been more enthralled with the bugs living in it than her mother's occupation. After she went to Hogwarts, however, and had a class based solely on plants, she began to see them as animals just like the bugs that she'd picked up at home. When she came back home over the summer, she'd begun to take an interest in her mother's profession, especially since it was another area that didn't require a wand. Working with plants was also a rather repetitive processes, needing to water them at specific times, or adjust their position in the sun at certain times of the day, and it was rather calming for the girl.

The summer before her Third Year was when Lyra's interest piqued. They'd been studying more difficult plants that year (such as Mandrakes), and she'd wanted to work with her knew knowledge. One sunny morning, she took some water and went out to the greenhouse, where her mother was already working. Her father had left for work early, as usual, so it was just the two of them all day. She pushed open the door to the greenhouse, and was met with a jungle of different plants. The greenhouse, was, of course, bigger than it appeared on the outside. It had several different sections of climates and environments that had their own changing seasons, so they could store the maximum amount of plants in one space (instead of Muggle greenhouses where only one element was available.)

Moving towards the warmer section that was an imitation of Mediterranean climate. She could see her mother, who had her curly hair pulled back and her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, writing something down in one of the many journals that she used to keep track of plants' progress. Setting the water jug down, Lyra said "hi mum."

The curly-haired witch looked up from her writing and smiled "good morning, Lyra. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Lyra rolled her eyes at her mother's joking manner, and said in a dignified voice "I would like very much to join you in the gardens this morn, mother."

"We shall have a lovely time frolicking with the faeries and gnomes." she joked, since gnomes were a nuisance and faeries were prone to being startled easily.

"Who even _says_ frolicking anymore?" she asked

"Well, apparently we do." the older woman grinned "come here, Lyra. The Dittany is in bloom. It's quite gorgeous."

Indeed the were. The oval grey-green leaves were full and soft, like lamb's ear, with white flecks on them, a sign that they were quite healthy. The flowers were pale pink and very large.

"I guess this was one of your more successful projects, mum."

"You could say that again. It's funny how some plants are easily adaptable while others aren't."

Lyra remembered one of her early projects, which had been to grow a Venomous Tentacula. It had started growing normally, but by the time they'd reached the teething stage, it had become _ginormous_. The tentacles had run along the floor and into other plants' pots. It had caused her mother to start over, although it was lucky that there hadn't been that many plants to begin with.

"What part do we use to get the essence, though?" the thirteen-year-old asked her mother curiously "is it the leaves, flower or roots?"

Kathleen smiled at her daughter's inquisitiveness. "there are several parts of the plant you could use. If you had to cure an internal pain, such as a stomachache, you could use the leaves and mix it with lavender to make a tea. To get the true use of the plant, you crush the petals, which are best when harvested right about this month. The roots are just roots for this plant. That's why it's so dead useful to have Dittany in your garden, although it wouldn't flourish very well in England weather."

"You sound like a textbook." Lyra said, laughing slightly

"Well, I do learn from the best." Kathleen winked at her daughter cheekily before turning back to her plant "I think this will be ready to harvest soon, although we won't take all of it, since we'll need some to grow next year as well."

Picking up the water jug from where her daughter had placed it, she poured it into the watering can and began to water the plants.

"I brought that to _drink_ , mum."

"Yes, and it _is_ being used to drink." the Herbologist said "you never specified _who_ had to drink it."

" _Mum._ " Lyra groaned

"If you don't like loopholes, don't make them so obvious." Kathleen teased "why don't you help me finish up here since it's not quite ready to be picked yet, and then we can make some ice cream."

"The Muggle way?" Lyra asked hopefully. Although the magical way was faster, the Muggle way was more rewarding.

"Of course. That's the best."

The mother and daughter cleaned up the greenhouse and headed back to their house, passing through the outdoor herb garden that was home to Muggle herbs and flowers. Stooping to pick some mint to put in their ice cream, they began their mission of making the 'best ice cream ever.'

A/n: I wanted to get a perspective on Lyra's home life, since there are a lot of sob-story backgrounds out there. I know it was kind of like that in the first chapter, her being holed up in the house and all, but they were new to the whole curse, so what else could really be done? Besides, Lyra's older now and has (slightly) better control over her emotions... For now, at least...


	7. Chapter 7: Loyalty and Bravery

Chapter 7, Year 3, Part 2: Loyalty and bravery

Lyra's Third Year had so far been as normal- at least for someone like her- as the last two years. She, Newt and Leta were still friends (despite the tension between the two girls), and they all still loved magical creatures and loathed Quidditch. Newt had been having a bit of trouble with the Gryffindor boys, most likely because they didn't have their 'leader' anymore, Theseus Scamander, who had graduated the previous year. These boys had been his followers, mostly because they were a year below the Scamander. Their new leader, Allan Shay, was bulky and on the Quidditch team. His second-in-command, Brian Birch, was exactly the same. They were prone to picking on younger students and despoiling the noble name of Gryffindor.

"Hey Hufflepuff!"

The shout echoed across the mostly empty Great Hall. It was after school hours, and the students were either in the Hall, the library, or their common rooms. Newt, Lyra and Leta had chosen to have a change of pace and work in the Great Hall, which was proving to be a bad idea.

Lyra rolled her eyes. As Hufflepuffs, many people thought of them as the 'dunderhead' House, since their qualities weren't as obvious as Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, or even Slytherins, which made them prone to a lot of name-calling and mockery. Eventually, they learned to ignore it, but sometimes confrontation couldn't be helped, as in this case. The Gryffindors had become bored with doing homework, and had been looking for some activity, and they'd easily spotted the odd trio with their heads bent over their work.

The group of boys got up and walked to where the Slytherin and Hufflepuffs were sitting. "Isn't strange to see dunderheads doing their homework, Brian?" asked one of the Gryffindors

Brian grinned "yeah, I think they'll fail. I bet the Snake is getting them to do it for her as well, although that's not the best idea since they're idiots."

The trio had been trying to ignore them and continue with their work, but Lyra, who'd always had a rather short fuse when it came to temper (since she was constantly under pressure to control her curse), turned around and glared at them " _I'm_ surprised that you want to read anything besides Quidditch rules- which you have a hard time understanding anyway."

This last bit was quite true, because although Slytherins were almost expected to play dirty, even the least-enthusiastic sports fan (such as Lyra) knew that the Gryffindor team focused more on dirty tactics and brawniest players than it did on pure talent.

The Allen, rolled his eyes. "that was a surprisingly good comeback for a Hufflepuff, although we'd have to actually care what you thought in order for it to affect us. Besides, everyone knows how we play anyway."

"Just leave us alone, why don't you?" asked Leta, who was only helping to get rid of them because they were also targeting her.

"I don't think so. Not until we have some fun, anyways." second-in-command Brian said

"And what would that be?" asked Lyra, getting irritated at the boys' nonsense.

"I think I'd like to talk with the little Scamander here. After all, his brother was my best friend. If he shows promise, I'll look past the fact that he's in Hufflepuff."

Lyra glowered at the bulky Gryffindor boy. "No way, Shay."

Allan smirked. "I don't think _you're_ in a position to tell me what to do, Mudblood."

Lyra's eyes widened. She'd known about the derogatory word used for Muggle-born students, and had heard Slytherins use it, but a Gryffindor? That was almost unheard of. It wasn't so much that she was affected by the word- after all, it was a combination of two of the most important things in human life (blood for being alive, and mud (dirt) for growing food), but it was still surprising, as no one had called her that directly.

Newt, however, knew of the word as well and was more affected by it. Although he was uncomfortable in situations like these, since he'd always been more of a pacifist, stooping low always got under his skin, because it reminded him of unfair times when he and his brother had argued. Whirling around in his seat so that his legs were on the other side of the bench, he glared at the taller boy. "Shut up" he snarled

Everyone in the vicinity stared at him in surprise, since he usually stayed out of these conflicts as much as possible. Allan grinned. "I didn't know I struck a cord there. little Scamander. No matter, I have a deal to make. I'll let you be the leader of our group if you ditch your stupid friends. I know that's what your brother would want you to do."

The thirteen-year-old glared at the older boy "you don't know what _he'd_ want. And the answer's no, so leave me alone."

"Are you sure, little Scamander? It's a great chance to ditch the Snake and the Mudblood."

Lyra stood up, balling her hands into fists, furious with Shay that he was trying to get Newt to be the next Scamander 'leader' and take him away from his friends. "He _said_ leave him ALONE!"

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do to make me leave? Punch me?" Allan thought that there was no way this _girl_ could do anything to hurt him. The top of her head barely reached his shoulders.

"Lyra" Newt said, sensing her reaching a boiling point "he's not worth it." He placed a hand on her arm to try and calm her down.

Lyra was desperately trying to wrestle her agitated emotions under control. She _couldn't_ afford to lose control, and she squeezed her eyes shut to try and block out the source of her anger.

"What's the matter, Mudblood?" Allan asked mockingly "are you trying to _wish_ me away?"

 _Alright, that's it_ she thought, opening her eyes. If he couldn't leave her alone peacefully, she'd unleash her fury on him. Before Newt could stop her, she drew back her arm and punched Shay right in the face. There was a loud _crack_ that could be heard. She hadn't hit his nose, which she had been aiming for, because he was so tall and she'd misjudged the distance, but she _had_ hit close to it. Along with her punch, she released the magical energy that had been building up inside her and let go of it through the only easily accessible point: the contact of her punch. The shock of the hit coupled with the explosion sent the bulky boy reeling backwards and toppling over onto his back. Staring up at the girl with wide eyes and a visible bruise forming on his face, he scrambled away from her, trying to stand. "What the _hell_ was that?" he gasped "stay away from me, _freak_!" Finally able to stand, he and his followers quickly left the Hall.

Lyra didn't come to full awareness yet, only that she felt slightly dizzy, so she sat down on the bench, eyes closed. After a minute, the reality of what happened set in. Eyes opening almost comically wide, she gasped "oh _no_! I hit a _student_. I'm going to get expelled!"

She turned to Newt, who was looking shocked. The only force he'd experienced had been when he'd been trying to get her to open up in First Year. He supposed that when her magic was concentrated to one area (her fist), then the force was much stronger- enough to knock a large boy like Allan Shay to the ground. Recovering quickly he said "I don't think you will be, we just have to get to Dippet before they do to explain what happened. Leta and I are witnesses. It's a good thing no one else was here, though. That would've been bad."

Leta, who had no knowledge of Lyra's curse, was also staring at her with wide eyes. "What _was_ that?"

Ignoring her for possibly the first time since he met her, Newt helped Lyra out of the bench. Picking up their stuff, he told Leta that they'd be back later, and exited the Hall with the curly-haired girl.

"I'm going to be expelled, I'm going to be expelled." Lyra repeated anxiously, knowing that whatever Newt said, he didn't _really_ understand the situation.

"No, you're not." he said firmly, and then, trying to put light on their current state, he added "at least, not before me." (Referring to the beginning of their friendship in First Year.)

They got to the Headmaster's office all too soon (in Lyra's opinion), and Newt spoke the password. He knew where the Headmaster's office was (and password) because he'd been there right before Theseus had graduated, since his brother had gotten an award for being 'academically outstanding,' and he'd been required to attend the meeting. It was a good thing that Newt had a good memory and Professor Dippet didn't change his passwords.

The eagle that guarded his door started turning to reveal a set of stairs which the two thirteen-year-olds stepped onto and rode up. After knocking on the door, they entered the study. There was a large desk at the back of the room, which was surrounded with portraits of previous Headmasters. The front of the room had books scattered around on many tables, as well as interesting devices that neither Lyra nor Newt knew the uses of.

"Mr. Scamander, Ms. Maywell, to what do I owe this pleasure?" the man sitting at the desk in the back spoke to them in a friendly manner. He had shoulder-length white hair and a short-clipped beard. He wore robes of dark blue lined with brown fur, likely that of some big cat. Professor Dippet was a well-respected, wise man who was sometimes a little _too_ trusting.

"Well, professor, we have a bit of a problem." Newt started

"If now's a good time to talk." Lyra added.

"Of course, go ahead. Would you like to sit down?" he asked

The two students sat down and began to explain their situation. Professor Dippet listened carefully, growing concerned when he heard about Lyra's explosion. After the two students finished their story, their Headmaster waited a minute before he spoke. "I'm glad that you have come to tell me what has happened before hearing it from another source. While this is concerning, I think I am able to ask Mr. Shay and his friends to keep quiet about this. You said there wasn't anyone else in the hall?" he asked

Lyra nodded, and then remembered one other person "Leta was there, too, sir. We wanted a change of scenery to do our homework."

Professor Dippet smiled understandingly "Of course. I'm sure Ms. Lestrange is wondering what happened. Are you not as well, Mr. Scamander?"

Newt shook his head. "I've known since First Year, sir. I asked Lyra to tell me."

The old man nodded "I suppose it helps to have someone know everything, doesn't it, Ms. Maywell?" he asked, not unkindly

She nodded. "Am I in trouble, Professor?" she asked hesitantly

"I think not. After all, you were provoked. It might be difficult to have Mr. Shay keep quiet about this, but I'll see what I can do. You've been a very good student, and have tried hard to keep it under control, so since this is the first time it's happened, I'll let it slide. I understand it's challenging, but perhaps there is some way to control it."

"Thank you, Professor." Lyra said, extremely relieved

"Now, I have one more question for you." their Headmaster said "did you happen to notice the pattern that went along with the explosion? I remember your father say that the first time it happened, there was a sun pattern."

Lyra paused for a moment, thinking. "I didn't see anything, but I also wasn't paying attention to the floor. Did you see anything, Newt?" she asked the boy

He shook his head. "We can check at dinner, if you like."

"It's alright." Professor Dippet said "I think that it wouldn't be very noticeable because the table's benches cover it. I'll talk to Mr. Shay and his parents tonight and inform you of what has been agreed upon, but you needn't worry."

Pleased with the outcome of their meeting, the two thirteen-year-olds exited the office.

"That was very brave of you, Ly." Newt said, finally able to think about what happened without worrying about her being expelled

Looking slightly embarrassed, she said "it's nothing. I was just drawing on my Hufflepuff loyalty."

He grinned. "I'll have to remember not to get on your bad side."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think you ever could."

A/n: A long chapter! (twice as many words as usual!) I'm not sure how well I did on the comebacks part since I'm not particularly good at them myself, so if you could let me know how I did, that would be great! (And if you wanted to give me some ideas for good comebacks for future chapters, I'll give you a shout-out when I use them). I know that Hufflepuff is usually the 'stupid' House, so I wanted to prove that they weren't :) Next chapter: more drama!


	8. Chapter 8: Grindelwald and the News

Chapter 8, Year 4, Part 1: Gellert Grindelwald and the news

REVOLUTION OR WAR?: Gellert Grindelwald sighted in Belgium

 _By: Melissa Breckshaw_

 _Gellert Grindelwald, aged 28, was sighted in Brussels, Belgium. Grindelwald, becoming well-known for his views on Muggle-Wizard relations, was seen entering the house of the Belgian Minister of Magic, Ivan Coppens. Presumed to be discussing Muggle-Wizard communications (as Coppens is famous for his vocal abuse to the Muggle population), the locals quickly called Ministry Aurors. Although Grindelwald was gone, the Minister refused to give details of the meeting, stating that 'it is matters concerning only for those who are concerned for the greater good.'_

 _What could this mean? Grindelwald, who attended Durmstrang, was expelled for the practice of Dark Arts. This, along with his now-familiar views causes the Wizarding population to be filled with concern. Does this mean war? Who is he targeting? Is anyone safe? We don't know these answers yet, but if Grindelwald continues to make stops at official's homes, we shall be able to gather more answers. Until next time, everyone be on guard_

Lyra threw down the newspaper onto the kitchen table. "Well, it looks like the world's going downhill." she said

Her mother looked up from the gardening book she was reading ( _One Thousand Ways to Make the Biggest Use of Your Garden_. _)_ "What do you mean, Ly?"

"Apparently some bloke named Grindelwald is becoming famous. Something about Muggles and Wizards."

Kathleen's eyes widened. "Really? What's it say?"

"Not much, just that he was sighted in Belgium, entering Ivan Coppen's house- the Minister of Magic for Belgium" she added, seeing her mother's confused look "I've seen him in the news once or twice before- he and Professor Dumbledore actually knew each other, but had a fight at Godric's Hollow, which is how Grindelwald became famous."

"Did anyone die?" the older woman asked

"I don't really remember. I think someone's death was the cause of the fight, though. I don't know why you'd want to write an article about a Dark Wizard when you don't have all the facts."

"Well, it's good to know what he's up to. I haven't heard of him before, but he sounds dangerous." He would, considering she was Muggleborn.

"Do you think he'll become more active?" Lyra asked

Her mother pursed her lips "I'm not sure, maybe, but I hope not."

* * *

On September 1st, Lyra boarded the train for her Fourth Year. She'd had a growth spurt that summer, as she assumed most people in their year had had, but it was still nice to be mistaken for her mother, whom she took after in everything except her eyes (she had her father's.) Her father was busy at work, as usual. She didn't know why his Department (of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures) kept him so busy, but he'd always been a workaholic.

As usual, she lugged her trunk through the train's corridor, looking for Newt (and Leta, but she'd prefer to find the former.) She knew she needn't have looked for them, since they were in their usual compartment in the back of the train. Newt helped her lift her trunk onto the luggage rack, and the three of them began talking about their summers. Leta had gone to Belgium this summer, to visit one of her parent's friends. Newt and Lyra had stayed at home.

"Have you heard about Grindelwald?" Lyra asked

Newt nodded. "I read about him over the break."

Leta seemed to stiffen a little. "So what? He hasn't done anything."

"Not yet," Lyra retorted "but he could. I don't really know what to think of him. Both of my parents come from Muggles, so it puts their families at risk if he does anything."

"And he was seen talking to the Belgian governor, who's known from his hatred of them." Newt put in, looking concerned for his friend

Leta rolled her eyes "I don't think there will be a problem. After all, _your_ family isn't very active in the Wizarding world."

Lyra looked annoyed. Leta made it sound like that was a bad thing.

"Can't you two ever get along?" asked Newt, exasperated by the girls' hostility towards each other.

That shut them both up for awhile, as Newt rarely expressed his annoyance about their relationship

* * *

The year got off to a rocky start, since their discussion of Grindelwald. Professor Dumbledore was acting tense and rather strange, not being as friendly as usual. Professor Banks was still the strict Potions Master they were used to, students were becoming stressed already despite it only being the beginning of the year.

A/N: Not my best finish, and I tried to write an article, although I don't know how well I did :) (Melissa Breckshaw will be a less-harsh Rita Skeeter) Grindelwald will become more obvious as time goes on, just FYI. Next chapter is Newt's perspective on Theseus, Lyra, and Leta. I'm going to try and stick as close to the few details we have about the first and third people as possible...


	9. Chapter 9: Secret Life of Newt Scamander

Chapter 9, Year 4, Part 2: Or, Newt's Perspective on Theseus, Lyra, and Leta

Newt Scamander had always been rather anti-social. He supposed it came from having a brother like Theseus. The elder Scamander had taken all of five seconds to be Sorted into Gryffindor, where he'd quickly made a name for himself by smart mouthing the teachers, getting detention (and then getting out of it), and being good at Quidditch. In his later years, he'd shown that he was brave, almost to the point of putting himself in extreme danger, and he was smart, despite his obvious lack of interest in school.

He quickly gathered a group of admirers, much like James Potter and Sirius Black would decades from then, although this group was different. Even though they'd all been Sorted into Gryffindor, they'd had Slytherin-like qualities similar to those in the era(s) of Lord Voldemort. It was apparent that the Gryffindor House wasn't as well-received as it would be in later years.

Newt knew that he was his brother's undying shame, because of the House he'd been Sorted into. Theseus and the younger Scamander had been relatively close despite their age gap, although the latter had always been the rougher of the two brothers. Theseus had "put up with" his brother's strange fascination with animals, occasionally mocking him. When Newt had been Sorted into Hufflepuff, however, the bond had immediately ceased to exist.

Theseus had graduated from Hogwarts with all the N.E.W.T.S. required to become an Auror, as was his aspiration since before he could remember. On the field, he was able to rise quickly through the ranks and make a name for himself despite only being on the job for a year. He continued to show the same personality he'd had in Hogwarts, although maybe a little more ruthless. He was in communication with the top members of every foreign government, and harbored some feelings of hatred for Muggles, although not as much as Grindelwald or Coppen. He'd participated in the war in Poland, which had erupted between Muggles and Wizards (the residents hadn't been careful enough, and the Muggles had found out about the existence of magic, hence the war), becoming a hero.

Sometimes Newt felt overshadowed by his brother's fame, as it was obvious how proud of him his father was. But then he would realize he wouldn't trade positions for the world, as his mother's pride was more important, which he had. And besides, who needed a group of friend-bullies when he had Lyra and Leta?

* * *

On the train in his First Year, his brother had been showing him off, saying that _they were just alike_ and loudly proclaiming that Newt would be following in his footsteps. The younger boy had escaped as quickly as possible because he _loathed_ being shown off like some sort of exotic animal, and as he was anti-social, it was one of his biggest fears. He'd gone to the last empty compartment and opened the book he'd had easy access to. Even at a young age, he'd always been more comfortable around animals than people, because animals were predictable, and you could tell what they were going to do before they did it, unlike people. It was his dream to become a Magizoologist.

But then Lyra had come in. At first, he hadn't been very interested in her, since she was a _girl_ of all things and he was only eleven. And besides, she'd been rather shy (like him), and was rather guarded. But then she'd noticed his book cover and seemed to light up from the inside. Her eyes had visibly brightened, and she seemed to sit up straighter. When they began to debate about their favorite magical creature, her eyes had flashed defensively and the air had seemed to crackle with energy, although she didn't seem to notice.

When they got to school, however, a change seemed to come over her again and she became how she'd been on the first minutes of their train ride. He'd never met a person who'd been as interested in magical creatures as he'd been, and he was determined to know more about her. Given his shier nature, he was hesitant at approaching her at first, especially when she avoided him at all costs.

He'd noticed that she was barely ever in their shared common room, and in classes she tended to sit at the back. It wasn't until the day after the first spring rain that he'd managed to catch her. He'd pursued her to a willow tree that stood near the Lake, and noticing the worn path, he assumed she'd come here often. When she tried to make him go away, he was confused because he thought that they'd had a great discussion. He noted that she'd looked scared, like a trapped animal, and tried to back off, but it had been too late. He found himself on the ground, breath knocked out of him. Although he hadn't been hurt, he was shocked. What had _caused_ that?

Lyra apologized profusely, and tried to warn him off, but still he stayed. When he'd seen the cornered look in her eyes, he knew she couldn't hurt him. Sure, he'd been blown to the ground, but she never _try_ to hurt him. From then on, he saw her as a rare magical creature, because she was rather exotic after all. She prefered outdoors to indoors, sun to rain, light to dark. She hated it when people were picked on for how they looked, acted, or talked, and she was unquestioningly loyal, almost to a fault. It was in that moment, by the tree, that he decided he'd always be there to calm her down, keep her from causing an explosion.

* * *

Leta, however, was a completely different story. She was the moon to Lyra's sun, north pole to south pole. The two girls often clashed over the simplest things and never agreed. When one said right, the other left. When one said up, the other down. Leta, coming from a Pureblood family, knew that she shouldn't make friends with inferiors. Newt was okay, because his family was rather well-known, and they were half-bloods, after all. Lyra was completely off-limits, and Leta made sure to uphold her family's values (although she did feel a _little_ guilty about it.)

Newt had been attracted to her the moment she'd first entered the compartment. With her curly dark hair, icy blue eyes and pale skin, she stood out as someone that was completely different from the rest of Wizardkind. From the amount of time Newt spent with her, he'd think he'd know more about her than just the fact that she was Pureblooded (common knowledge), she loved magical creatures (slightly less known), and she wasn't certain on her views about Muggles and Muggleborns (only he knew).

This last bit pleased him that she'd been willing to open up to him about it, since he'd mostly told her about himself. He knew it was probably because Lyra was pretty much Muggleborn, and that was the basis of the girls' abrasiveness towards each other. He wouldn't call himself obsessed about Leta, but he was intrigued by her (although most people _would_ call it a slight infatuation.)

A/N: Okay, coming up is 5th year. I know I'm going through the years a little fast, but the later years is when 'stuff happens.' Also, I know that it's annoying to ask for reviews, which is why I haven't done it yet, but it _would_ be nice to know what people think... Just saying!


	10. Chapter 10: Prefects and Invitations

Chapter 10, Year 5, Part 1: Prefects and Professors

Over the summer, Grindelwald became more active. He started by causing a few riots in Wizarding towns that were close to Muggle cities, but then it escalated. He started killing innocent people for no apparent reason, only that they supported the government's views on Muggle-Wizard relations. His motto soon became 'for the greater good,' although no one quite knew what 'good' meant.

Lyra's parents were starting to get worried because they came from Muggle backgrounds, but it seemed as though they were safe because they didn't whole-heartedly agree on the Ministry's views. The fifteen-year-old's summer passed like many before, although her father was around more than usual, and their spirits were lifted despite the threat hanging over them.

* * *

On the platform, Lyra said goodbye to her parents and boarded the train. Allan Shay and his followers had left the year before (she was surprised that they hadn't failed), and so far there was no one to take their place. She also knew that Newt's brother had achieved some fame with his help of sorting out the war in Poland from reading the paper. She was sure that this would inflate his ego even more, if that was possible, and she was concerned for Newt because she was aware that he'd always been at odds with his brother (and that was putting it lightly.)

When she found him in their usual compartment, he looked to be his usual self, although he _did_ seem slightly upset.

"What's the matter?" Lyra asked, sitting down after greeting him

He looked up, surprised. Surely he couldn't be _that_ easy to read. "Leta's been made Prefect."

Lyra felt slightly annoyed. She knew why Professor Dill, Hufflepuff's head of House, didn't make her a Prefect (her unpredictability), but she didn't know why Newt wasn't made one, so she asked him, because he definitely deserved it more than _Leta_ , in her opinion.

"Probably because I'm not the most responsible- and I tend to avoid people." he said

Trying to lighten the mood, she smiled "that's one way of putting it."

"What?"

"You tend to avoid people. Most would call it anti-social." deciding now wasn't a good time for jokes, she remembered why he wasn't cheerful as usual "but why is Leta being a Prefect a bad thing?"

He sighed and said "she won't get to spend time with us anymore, since she'll have other duties. That's why she's not here now," he added "she has to patrol the train. And with it being O.W.L. year, we'll get even less time to see her."

"Well _I'm_ not a Prefect." Lyra reminded him "so _we_ can still have fun. Besides, who needs important positions that takes up a lot of time?"

He seemed to recover at this and smiled slightly "you're right, I guess. I'm just a bit off because of Theseus."

"I read about that in the _Periodic Prognosticator_. Wasn't he awarded some sort of medal?"

"Yeah. Dad's proud of him." his tone sounded bitter.

"Well, you've said you'd rather have your mother's praise anyday, so who cares? I mean, I know it's easier said than done, and I don't have any experience in this field, but we've always said that Theseus has a perpetually inflated ego that needs constant reimbursement."

"I think _you've_ said that, Ly," but the boy's tone sounded much improved already as they moved on to lighter topics such as the next school year and what the professors might have done over the summer (it was funny to think of Professor Dumbledore in a bathing suit- and rather disturbing.)

* * *

Because it was O.W.L. year, all of the teachers had given them a strict speech on the importance of it (as if they didn't know already.) They also each decided that they were the only teachers in the school and gave double the amount of homework than usual. By November, seven people had already needed a Calming Draught issued by Madam March (a new school record.)

Lyra and Newt barely had enough time to spare for their favorite class, Care of Magical creatures, let alone worry about Leta (she'd been known to consistently uphold rules and obey the powers of her badge, a surprise to some, although the same thing couldn't be said for _all_ Prefects.) It was especially a struggle for Lyra because of her lack of skill with her wand.

They were so swamped with work that when beginning of December rolled around, they were all caught by surprise.

Newt's family had written to him and said that they'd be having a Christmas party to celebrate Theseus' award. He'd promptly invited Lyra and Leta because he didn't know if he'd be able to attend by himself (and he didn't say this, but he didn't want to have to look at the smug expression on his brother's face as his father praised him by himself, although it was implied.) He'd also invited the girls over early so they could spend time together, as O.W.L.s were making this impossible.

Both of them had agreed, of course, and Leta at least was looking forward to the party.

A/N: Hello again, 700 readers. It's taken me a little longer than usual because school's started back up (after midterms we had a 5 day break), and that means homework :(. FYI: The Periodic Prognostic is my take on the Daily Prophet

I'm a little overdue, but I'd like to thank the sum of 3 people, **Codee21,** and the two guests I've had for leaving the first reviews/comments. I'd also like to thank everyone who's favorited/followed this story so far. Gosh, this sounds like a Golden Globes awards speech, doesn't it? I know a lot of people read this story (traffic graph), and I'm glad some people are liking it, but it would be great to know what else people think. So, to the 700 readers I have, I'd like to know how I'm portraying the characters since I always try to stay as close to canon as possible in stories like these and how the story is progressing.

Next chapter: a look into Lyra and Leta's 'freindship'


	11. Chapter 11: Lyra and Leta

Chapter 11, Year 5, Part 2: Lyra and Leta

Lyra sat cross-legged on the bed in one of the Scamander's spare bedrooms. She and Leta were getting ready for the party, which was in a few hours' time. They'd arrived early and caught up with Newt who was definitely _not_ looking forward to the event that night. Theseus and Brogan (Newt's father) hadn't arrived yet (work had kept him late, but he'd be there on time), so they'd had the house to themselves. Ebba, Newt's mother, worked at home breeding Hippogriffs, but they hadn't seen her.

Back to the bedroom, Leta was standing in front of a mirror putting on makeup after getting into her dress. As a Pureblood, she was required to make a good first impression and represent her family well. It had been a wonder that her father even let her come, since the Scamanders were only half-bloods (what convinced him had been the fact Theseus would be there, as well as other important Ministry officials.)

Lyra, not understanding this, asked "why do you put so much effort into how you look?" She'd never been one to waste time getting ready in the morning, and didn't understand why girls thought they needed to spend so much time getting ready in the morning.

Leta looked in the mirror at the curly-haired girl sitting on the bed. "I'm not surprised you don't understand." she replied, rather condescendingly "as a member of a Pureblood family, I am required to make a good impression for the Lestrange name, unlike you, who has no name to support."

The other girl didn't know if the dark-haired girl was being smug or not, so she said "if you're a Pureblood, then everyone already knows who you are. Why do you have to try to make a good first impression?"

Her words were greeted with an eyeroll. "They know the name, but they don't know the people. Honestly, I thought you were _smart_ \- for a Muggleborn, anyway."

"Hey!" Lyra exclaimed indignantly "I _am_ smart. I just don't know the Pureblood traditions, since, as you pointed out, I am a Muggleborn. I'd think that you would _want_ to teach me- y'know, show me how Purebloods are so great and all"

She hadn't meant that sarcastically, but the other girl took it that way and her eyes flashed. "You really shouldn't take that tone with me, you know. Just because your birth status makes you at the bottom of Wizarding society doesn't mean you can't improve yourself."

"According to some people, I'm stuck where I am. And besides, who said I wanted to improve myself? I'd just want to learn about Wizarding traditions, which is why I asked you in the first place. I don't know why every conversation we have always ends in an argument."

"Probably because you don't see how I do." Leta replied, although it was more of the fact that she wasn't sure of the curly-haired girl. She seemed nice enough, and she was Newt's friend, but she was Muggleborn, and Leta had been taught from an early age that anyone less than Pureblood was scum (half-bloods were tolerated.)

"Or that you are unwilling to compromise your beliefs based on what _you've_ learned, and not what your parents have taught you." Lyra had hit the nail on the head, but her response unconsciously provoked the other girl, who was uncomfortable with her response.

" _I'm_ not the one who needs to change my position. After all, you're below me." with that, she ignored Lyra for the rest of the time.

The other girl got off the bed and left the room, annoyed (as usual) at the Pureblood. Why did she think being a Pureblood was better? Why did the _Wizarding_ world think that was better? Being Muggleborn was only bad because everyone looked down on you; otherwise, it was perfectly fine. She didn't really understand why blood purity was everything to some people, when all blood was the same color and texture.

A/N: A bit shorter than usual, but it was kind of hard to characterize Leta, since I was trying to set her up for later chapters (confused and dangerous etc. according to FB articles about the next movie.) Anyway, I have an ending in mind, and I think it's pretty brilliant if I do say so myself- only if I can convey it the way I want. Of course, we still have a while to go, but here's a sneak peek of my idea: fans of _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ will know the allusion :)

Next up: the party and a little something called a magical suitcase :)


	12. Chapter 12: Parties and Suitcases

Chapter 12, Year 5, Part 3: Parties and suitcases

At precisely 7 o'clock that night, Lyra, Newt, and Leta went to the large room where the party would be held. The Scamander's house wasn't a mansion by any means, but they _were_ well-off. With Brogan's high Ministry position, they had quite a bit of money they could spend, and lived comfortably. Many of the guests were arriving, as they were important figures and it paid to be on time. Brogan and Theseus had arrived at the house a half-hour ago, but they hadn't been seen (the trio knew from the two loud pops at the door, and made sure to steer clear.) The two girls had gotten ready early so they wouldn't have to worry about it later, and met the partygoers at the door.

Lyra was always apprehensive around crowds because of her curse, and was even more so tonight, since there were high-ranking officials attending and it wouldn't do to knock half of them out with an explosion. Newt had promised to stay near her, much to Leta's confusion, to help her out, since a familiar, friendly presence always helped calm her down.

They'd stood outside the door long enough that sounds of greetings could be heard. Taking a deep breath to brace herself, Lyra said "I suppose we'll go in now?"

Newt nodded but didn't move. It took Leta approaching the door and getting them to follow her before they went inside. The room had a warm glow from all the candles that lined it, and at one end there was a large buffet table laden with food. There were officials mingling around circular tables cover with pristine white tablecloths, and the people themselves wore colorful dress robes, as it wasn't an extremely serious event.

Lyra slipped her hand into Newt's to help both herself and him, and his hand tightened around hers as Leta was asked to dance by a young Ministry official (there was a violin, cello, and flute playing themselves and magnified so they could be heard over the talk of the people.) Surprised, Lyra gave him a questioning look but Newt chose to ignore it. The trio minus one then saw to some chairs by the wall, which they hastily claimed. They caught glimpses of Theseus and Brogan, as well as Ebba, but no one really noticed the two fifteen-year-olds.

A little while later, Newt and Lyra had decided to risk the haven of the wall and clung to the sides of the big room, heading towards the buffet (sitting and doing nothing proved to be just as exhausting as dancing). Leta had yet to join them, as many of the younger officials noticed that she was quite beautiful. Lyra had a sneaking suspicion that Newt was annoyed by this, but she couldn't fathom why, so she just assumed it was because they weren't spending time together.

They reached the buffet table without a hitch, and rather hastily piled their plates with food so they could escape again unnoticed. Their plans were foiled, however, when they turned around and saw Theseus standing above them.

"Hello, little brother." he said

Newt tensed, already trying to avoid confrontation. "Er- we were just about to go."

"Nonsense, join my party! After all, you're still family even if you don't live up to expectations." the older boy smirked

"Leave him alone!" Lyra snapped

Turning his attention to the girl, he studied her for a moment, before recognition flashed across his face. "You're the one who hit Shay!"

"Yes, and he deserved it." she replied in the same tone

"Really?" he asked disbelievingly "I doubt that. Allan Shay is well-mannered, and I heard that you punched him so hard that he fell to the ground. I'm surprised you weren't expelled, as the Shays are as well-respected as the Scamanders."

"Of course _you'd_ think Shay is well-mannered if you hung out with him, as you'd have the same core values." Lyra could feel the buzz of her excess magic begin to spread through her, and she knew she should stop and walk away, but she _loathed_ this arrogant man (how was he related to Newt again?).

Apparently Newt could tell she was about to tip off the edge and gave her arm a tug. "C'mon, Ly." he muttered

Theseus scowled at the girl. "Are you trying to insult me? _I'm_ the one getting an award tonight." turning to his brother, he said "and besides, Newton, I'd think that you would want to find real friends, rather than hanging out with _girls_ all the time."

Lyra bristled even more at that, but Newt was already pulling her away and out the door, managing to grab Leta on the way out. Theseus didn't dare follow him, since this night was his night, but he knew he'd get them eventually.

"Thank goodness!" Leta exclaimed, sitting down in a chair that was in the room they'd escaped to "I don't think I could've danced anymore- some of those Ministry officials were horrible dancers!"

Her words were ignored by Newt and Lyra, however. The latter was trying to not to burst with the surplus magic coursing through her. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on something other than her annoyance at the eldest Scamander. Newt slipped his hand into hers. "Come on," he said, getting an idea "I have some thing to show you- both of you." he added, remembering Leta was there.

Lyra opened her eyes and followed him, allowing herself to be led down the hall as Leta walked behind them. She was, of course, confused with Lyra's reaction, but as she'd seen it before and it hadn't been explained, she just ignored it.

Newt took them to the office, which was a bit small and filled with books. It was also a but dusty because no one really used it, since Brogan and Theseus rarely worked at home. There was a desk underneath a window that was covered with quills, papers and books. The walls had floor-to-ceiling book cases, laden with yet more books. The floor was covered with a thick carpet, and a few armchairs as well as a desk chair. Newt paused at the entrance, thinking about where the object he wanted was in all of the mess. The two girls went and looked at the books on the bookshelves while he approached the desk. Moving parchment out of the way, he was pleased to find that the item he was looking for was still there. With a triumphant "Aha!" he pulled it off the desk and put it on the ground.

"Ly? Leta? I've found it."

Both girls came over and looked confusedly at the suitcase on the floor. "What is it?" Lyra asked

"It's a suitcase, obviously." Leta replied, rolling her eyes.

"I know _that_. I thought it might be more than a suitcase."

"You'd be right, Ly. It's a Scamander family secret- although it's not really one anymore, they just forgot about it since mum and Father don't use it." he opened the latches on the suitcase and lifted the lid. Putting one foot in the trunk, he said "come on, then."

They watched as first his legs disappeared, then his waist, then his shoulders, and finally his head. "Aren't you coming?" his voice sounded a bit muffled.

Lyra followed him carefully and was shocked with what she saw. The narrow stairwell opened up into a small shed that was just as cluttered as the office above. It was made of a medium-colored wood, with soft lighting and plenty of tools that a person on the field would need. Leta joined them, and for once she looked impressed with something that wasn't Pureblooded.

Newt, noticing Lyra's amazement (and Leta's as well, but he'd done this to help Lyra), said "this isn't everything."

"What do you mean it isn't everything?" she asked, amazed "there can't be more, can there?"

"Follow me." he said

Pushing the door to the shed open, he stepped out onto the porch, where it looked out onto the most basic habitat. Lyra followed him, and her eyes grew wider when she saw that there was more past their surroundings.

"What _is_ this place, Newt?" she asked

"It's a suitcase." he responded, rather cheekily, out of character for him. After Lyra hit him on the shoulder, he continued to explain "this suitcase has been in my family for generations, passed down through my mum's side of the family, primarily through the men. They each became magizoologists, inheriting their predecessor's love for animals- until my mum, at least. She wanted a family and wasn't really a fan of travel, so she put the case here. I'd like to use it when I become a magizoologist."

They explored around the settings for a little while, until Lyra realized something. "Newt," she said, catching his attention. "There aren't any animals in here."

He nodded. "My mother released all of them in their proper habitats, which was how she found out traveling wasn't her thing. This is mainly a sanctuary for animals if they're hurt, endangered, or need to be studied. It's not a- what do Muggles call animals in captivity?"

"Zoo." Lyra supplied

"Right. So they are released after."

"Oh. Are you going to fill it up again?" she asked

"I hope so. Um- d'you... would you want to come with me?" he asked, slightly embarrassed.

She grinned at him. "I'd love to- as long as you don't mind being in constant danger of explosions."

He sighed. "We've been over this before, Ly."

"I know- I just wanted to remind you. But if you don't mind, I really would love to go." after a pause, she asked "what about Leta?"

"Of course I don't mind. What d'you mean 'what about Leta'?"

"Don't you want to ask her?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't think so. As much as she likes magical creatures, and as much as I like her as a person, I don't think she'd be _that_ great on the field."

Lyra grinned. "From how long she took to get ready, I agree."

They spent a little while longer in the case looking at the complex magic used to create the different habitats. Leta decided that they had been down there long enough and thought they should return to the party. Newt and Lyra reluctantly agreed, but both were pleased (Newt because he'd found a travel partner, and Lyra because she'd managed to avoid exploding in front of a lot of people.)

A/N: Wow, has it really been a week? I'm sorry everyone. I had really bad seasonal allergies and didn't feel much like writing, but I'm better now :). (I made it longer to make up for it) I think I'll start updating once a week though, or when I finish a chapter since I've gotten the beginning of the story out of the way.


	13. Chapter 13: OWLs and Pyrotechnics

Chapter 13, Year 5, Part 3: O.W.L.s and Pyrotechnics

After Christmas break, the trio returned to Hogwarts and they were met with the stress of O.W.L.s. Many of their teachers emphasized the importance of these tests, and most of the fifth years spent their days in the library.

Being a nearly-Muggleborn witch, Lyra felt more pressure to do well than her friends. She felt like she needed to prove to the wizarding society that even near-Muggleborns were intelligent. She also wanted her parents to be proud of her, especially since they put up with her curse (she'd read stories about some unfortunate children who got thrown out of their houses because they were too much work), and she was wanted to prove she was worth it. Not that she needed to, of course, since they _were_ her parents, but she just felt that it was a necessity. Because of these reasons, she spent more time in the library than anyone else, being the first one there after school and the last one their at closing. She even brought books to meals with her.

Leta, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. Her parents expected her to do well, of course, but since she was Pureblooded, she didn't have to prove herself in any way. She joined Newt and Lyra in the library and studied, but she never stayed very long, opting to join her other friends from her House (most of whom were relatives.)

Newt had never been very concerned with grades, since his fascination with magical animals went beyond what books had to offer. He wasn't a bad student by any means, but he wasn't as rigorous as Lyra. However, because these were O.W.L.s, he spent more time (reluctantly, and mostly only because Lyra and Leta were) in the library.

Since Newt didn't tend to focus on his studies for very long, he was able to notice Lyra's absences during the day, and how she seemed more tired, occasionally spacing out during class. Feeling concerned for his friend, he decided that he would talk to her about what was going on. Of course people were feeling more stressed out during this time of year, but he thought that she was taking this to the more extreme side.

So, after class one day, he pulled her into the Hufflepuff common room. "What's up?" he asked

Looking confused, she asked "what d'you mean?"

He sighed. "You know. You've been distant ever since exams have started. You don't really need to study- you're naturally smart."

Lyra glared at him. "You don't understand. I _have_ to do well."

"I know you do, but you've focused too much. I personally think it'll make you forget more."

She put her hands on her hips, prepared to argue. "No it won't."

"What are you trying to prove anyway?" he asked

"You wouldn't understand. You're too caught up with Leta, anyway."

He looked embarrassed. "No I'm not! And besides, you haven't told me yet so you don't know if I'd understand."

"Yes you are- and I don't really blame you for it; it's just that you tend to see her side of things more often."

Dropping the subject of Leta (as it was awkward to talk about her with Lyra), he said "well, just give it a shot. After all, we _were_ friends first."

"Fine. Well, I want to make my parents proud of me, since they've put up with my difficulties. Then since I'm Muggleborn, I'm already looked at as stupid, so I have to prove that I'm not. You and Leta wouldn't understand because you're at least respected in society. If i don't do well, then I'll fit into their stereotype and I won't be able to show my parents I _can_ do it!" her voice had risen throughout her rant. She hadn't noticed the tingling sensation running through her either, but at the end of her speech, it reached its tipping point, and the vase above her resting on the shelf burst into millions of tiny pieces, raining down on them.

There weren't many students in the room, and they were working on homework. Upon hearing the vase shatter, a few of them looked up and saw the two Fifth Years standing there. One of the Seventh Year students came over. "Is everything okay?" he asked

Lyra froze, uncertain as to how to explain. The Seventh Year glanced at both of them, and when they didn't reply, he said "whatever it it, keep it down. _Some_ people are trying to study."

When he walked back to his spot, Newt said "why don't you take a break. You don't really have anything to prove because everyone who thinks Muggleborns are stupid has never met one. I think you'll feel better after you focus on something else for a time."

"But I _can't_ take a break. I knew you wouldn't understand."

"I do understand, I just don't see why you care about everyone's opinions. What if you took a break for half an hour?"

She sighed, giving in- a break did sound nice. "Alright. But it can't be long. I still need to practice spells. I've just been studying theory, and you know how hard spell casting is for me."

"Sure. I'll help too, if you want."

They decided to take a walk outside because it was a nice spring day, and Lyra did feel better when they returned to study.

A/N: Okay, I know it was a long gap, but school got busy (and I got distracted). I also decided to write another fanfiction (while continuing this one), and it's Septimus Heap. If you haven't read the series, it's really good. (It is geared towards slightly younger audiences, but I don't care) There's not enough good SH fanfictions out there, so like FB, I decided to write my own, and if you wanted to, I'd appreciate it if you checked it out (I'm posting the first chapter today). :)


	14. Chapter 14: Lyra and Newt

Chapter 14, Year 6, Part 1: Newt and Lyra

After summer break, school returned in full force. Lyra had received her O.W.L. scores along with the other members of her class, and she had done surprisingly well (she thinks that she did better with the theory part.) She had received an O in History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures, since no spells were required. Potions had been her next best score with Exceeds Expectations. Newt had gotten an O in Care of Magical Creatures, and the rest of the classes he'd received passing grades. Leta had done the best out of all of them by getting all Os but three.

In Transfiguration a few weeks after school started, Professor Dumbledore asks Lyra to stay behind after class. She agrees, waiting until everyone except Newt had cleared out (she had told him about the Professor's request.)

"You may go, Mr. Scamander," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Please Professor, can he stay?" Lyra asked "I'm going to tell him anyway. He's my best friend."

The older man smiled, aware of the friendship between the two students. "Very well, he can stay. It would be good for him to help, if he wishes."

"What can I help with?" Newt asked curiously.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore said, standing up and beginning to pace, "I have been doing some research over the summer, and it appears that there is a way to channel excess magic."

Lyra blinked, startled. She hadn't known that _this_ was where the talk was going. Was there a way to prevent explosions? "What do you mean, Professor?"

"Have you ever heard of wandless magic, Ms. Maywell?" he asked

"Um, I think so. I mean, it's kind of self-explanatory, isn't it?"

"Yes, the definition is simple in and of itself, but have you ever seen it happen?"

"I don't think so."

"I'm not surprised, as it is very difficult to achieve. The Wizard or Witch that masters this must be very powerful indeed," the older man said.

The curly-haired girl sighed. "It's hopeless then. If I'm no good with a wand, what can I expect with this?"

"That's exactly my point. You don't _need_ a wand. Your natural excess of magic is more than enough to make up for what might be considered a lack of power. Now, I'm not saying that you're untalented by any means. It is just to say that talent is an unnecessary variable in this particular situation."

"So since Lyra has extra magic, she can do wandless magic more easily than a trained Witch or Wizard?" Newt asked

"Yes. Of course, she will need to be able to channel into a smaller area in order to use it, but I am able to help with that if you wish."

"I can help too. Well I don't know how, but I'd like to. What do you say, Ly?" he asked

The girl in question hadn't said very much during the discussion, trying to process the fact that there _was_ a way to control her curse. After realizing Newt had addressed her, she asked, "sorry, what? I was trying to process everything. I mean, I'm always afraid that I'm going to seriously hurt someone- or myself- some day."

"It's alright, Ly. I was just asking if you wanted me to help."

"Oh, yes. I'd like that. No offense, Professor, but sometimes it's better when instruction or support comes from someone your own age."

The older man smiled. "I quite understand, Ms. Maywell. Why don't you come Friday afternoon? I don't want you to fall behind in your other classes, although this will undoubtedly help you eventually. Mr. Scamander, you may come as well."

The girl's eyes gleamed with excitement- maybe she could use spells like a normal magical person, eventually! "Thank you very much, Professor."

* * *

Friday afternoon found Lyra and Newt heading to the Transfiguration room. After knocking on the door, they entered the classroom and were surprised to find the room nearly empty, as the desks had been pushed back towards the wall.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Maywell, Mr. Scamander," Professor Dumbledore's voice came from the stairwell up to his office.

"Hi, Professor," Lyra replied, while Newt nodded in greeting.

"Are you ready to begin?" the older man asked

At the student's consent, he walked down the remaining stairs. "As a reminder, this is advanced magic; most Wizards or Witches don't even attempt to learn it, so I wouldn't be surprised if you are unable to use it right away. There is also a slight risk that you might cause damage to yourself, as I'm sure you've been warned with your excess magic."

Professor Dumbledore stood in front of the curly-haired girl, surveying her quietly. "I don't mean to alarm you, but you should know the risks. Do you want to continue?"

Lyra nodded, determined to succeed. "Yes, Professor. I want to be able to control my magic."

"Are you sure, Ly?" Newt asked, worried "I didn't know that there was a risk of causing damage."

She turned towards her friend. "I don't want to be afraid anymore, Newt. I have to do this. If it gets to be too much, I'll take a break, but I won't stop."

"Very wise, Ms. Maywell," the Professor said.

To the student's shock, the desks against the back wall burst into flames. Lyra looked between them and her teacher, but neither changed. The older man was still surveying her through his half-moon spectacles, his hands clasped behind him.

"As you can see," he said, "once you have learned, there is hardly a need for a wand."

The desks extinguished themselves on their own accord.

"How did you do that, Professor?"

"You must focus on a specific area around you while channeling your energy; for instance, I focused on the desks behind me and used _Incendio_. For you, I would suggest a simple spell and action, such as levitating a quill."

She pulled one out from her bag, which she had placed on the floor and put the quill on the desk that had been moved from the back of the room (still in the same condition, despite the fire from earlier.) She closed her eyes and tried to imagine the quill lifting into the air, pulled up by invisible strings. When she opened them again, she looked at her teacher, who shook his head slightly, indicating she hadn't been successful.

"It's alright not to get it on your first time. Try again."

Lyra kept trying, each time she was unsuccessful. As it got later, Newt suggested to call it a day, because he could see his friend was getting tired from the small, uncontrolled bursts she was able to do. She refused, shaking her head, and used her frustration and channeling it into focus. Letting go of it, the burst turned out to be one of the largest she'd ever done. It shook the entire room, starting from her feet and spiraling outward in its sun-like pattern. After Newt was able to regain his balance, he saw that the curly-haired girl had collapsed on the floor.

"Lyra!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to her. He knelt down next to her, checking to make sure she was okay.

"She'll be fine, Mr. Scamander."

Newt narrowed his eyes at the older man. "How do you know?" he asked, rather angrily, "you're pushing her too much! She can't possibly get it in one day! And then you encourage her to keep trying, when she really should take a break! No wonder she collapsed, the bursts kept draining her energy!"

Professor Dumbledore waited patiently until the sixteen year old finished. "I'm not pushing her at all, Mr. Scamander- she was determined to do it. As for it being dangerous, all magic comes with a risk. She knows that if her explosion is too powerful, she'll run the risk of burning herself up. I encourage her because I know she can do it, not because I want her to get hurt."

Newt stood up with the girl, holding her carefully. "I'm going to take her to the hospital wing, and when she wakes up, I'm going to try and convince her not to continue because I don't want her to get hurt."

He was still furious at the older man- he was supposed to be a _teacher_ and he let a student get pushed beyond their limit, caused them harm, and said he wasn't responsible at all!

A part of him knew that he cared deeply about Lyra, but it was a different feeling he had for Leta. Lyra had, it seemed, always been there. He didn't know what he'd do without her, and she was a wonderful friend. But Leta- when she looked at him, acknowledged him, well, Lyra never made him feel the same way. Leta was more of the exotic sort of bird, like a Phoenix, while Lyra was more of a sparrow.

As he entered the hospital wing, his thoughts were brought to a halt as the resident nurse took the girl out of his arms. She seemed to understand what happened, at least to some extent, because she shooed him out of the room without asking any questions.

Lyra was out of the hospital quickly, only spending two days there. Newt did try to convince her to stop, but Lyra seemed more determined than ever. She began practicing on her own, as Professor Dumbledore seemed to be out of school more often than not.

A/N: I finally updated! Hooray! Sorry about the long wait- while I know where I want to go with the story, getting there is the problem. I don't know when my next update will be, so stay tuned! Next chapter we get a closer look at Leta and Newt's relationship- seventh year, since sixth year doesn't have that much going on for me. I am quite aware that I haven't actually put them in a classroom setting, save for one chapter towards the beginning- don't worry, I haven't forgotten that they are, actually, in school...


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